What grade level is The Summer of Bitter and Sweet?

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

How long does it take to read The Summer of Bitter and Sweet?

It takes about 6h 45m to read The Summer of Bitter and Sweet (369 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 405 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Summer of Bitter and Sweet?

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet appears on reading lists for William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Summer of Bitter and Sweet banned in schools?

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet

Name: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet
Availability: InStock
Author: Jen Ferguson
ISBN: 9780063086180

by Jen Ferguson

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Summer of Bitter and Sweet is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range: Grades 9–12
Pages: 369
Reading time: about 6h 45m (est.)
First published: 2022
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN-13: 9780063086180

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About this book

In this complex and emotionally resonant novel about a Métis girl living on the Canadian prairies, debut author Jen Ferguson serves up a powerful story about rage, secrets, and all the spectrums that make up a person—and the sweetness that can still live alongside the bitterest truth. A William C. Morris Award Honor Book and a Stonewall Award Honor Book! Lou has enough confusion in front of her this summer. She’ll be working in her family’s ice-cream shack with her newly ex-boyfriend—whose kisses never made her feel desire, only discomfort—and her former best friend, King, who is back in their Canadian prairie town after disappearing three years ago without a word. But when she gets a letter from her biological father—a man she hoped would stay behind bars for the rest of his life—Lou imme

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Why widely assigned

This Young Adult title, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2020s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

William C. Morris YA Debut Award

Common questions

What grade level is The Summer of Bitter and Sweet?: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read The Summer of Bitter and Sweet?: It takes about 6h 45m to read The Summer of Bitter and Sweet (369 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 405 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Summer of Bitter and Sweet?: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet appears on reading lists for William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Summer of Bitter and Sweet banned in schools?: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

Why this book is on this list

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure: Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band: Grades 9–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: read-aloud.